Creating Your Family Tree and Learning About Genetics

Making a family tree is a fun way to learn about your family and genetics. Here’s how you can do it:

1. Collect Information:

   • Start with yourself, then look back at your parents, grandparents, and so on.

2. Use Easy Symbols:

   • Draw squares for boys and circles for girls.

3. Write Down Traits:

   • Note things like eye color and hair type. Remember, about 25% of these traits come from each parent.

4. Look for Patterns:

   • Find out which traits are more common in your family. For example, some traits are “dominant” and show up about 75% of the time, while others are “recessive” and show up about 25% of the time.

5. Think About Genetic Chances:

   • Use simple math ideas, like Mendelian ratios. For example, when parents are different, there’s a chance of getting a $1:2:1$ mix of traits.

Enjoy discovering your family's history!